Apart Together: Lockdown Life in Italy
[Aminda and I met over a decade ago, when I was still living in Rome. Over the years she’s been a friend, colleague and an editor. These are her reflections, unedited and unfiltered by me, of life under lockdown in Rome. NS]
As a journalist I am always reporting on other people’s stories, putting myself in the background as is only right.
But now, I am living in a story that has overtaken the whole world. And since Italy is my home, I’m in the European epicentre of the coronavirus storm. Italy is further along the virus curve than many other countries, so we have valuable information, awareness and understanding to pass on to people elsewhere, preparing them from what awaits them.
I’m not a medical expert - and anyway there are plenty of official sources to find that kind of information – so I have decided to write about life under lockdown from a different perspective.
Clearly, the coronavirus has already changed our world in so many ways. I am trying to take a step back from the storm and look at some of the wider effects it is having on people and on societies.
Every day or so I’m writing a short article to give people an opportunity to think and reflect on what is happening – or will soon happen around them. The idea is to try to tease out positive aspects, interesting developments and new ways of doing and being, to share with the wider world.
Aminda Leigh Rome, March 2020.
Rainbows 🌈🌈🌈
Radiant greens, leaves still glowing with new-minted freshness, morphing from their crinkly state to a fully unfolded glory. Trees woken from their winter slumber, unfurling their buds to swap bare brown skeletons for emerald spring outfits.
Apricot orange of ripening loquat fruits, nestling like gleaming jewels in basil-coloured foliage beds. A succulent’s flower with orangey-pink petals forming spikey bells in an invitation to embrace.
Indigo irises and clusters of bluebells, the violet vibration of windblown forget-me-nots. Magenta pink bougainvillea hustles the softer tones of pale purple wisteria, cascading over pergolas to blanket concrete pavements with blossom clad carpets.
Nascent clouds of the palest of cherry blossom herald the future season of precious ruby fruits.
Brilliant blue skies unsullied by aircraft trails, dotted with silhouettes of busy blackbirds, surfing seagulls, squabbling sparrows and plundering parrots.
Opulent yellow of plucky dandelions and delicate lemony early bloom roses, poking their heads through metal fencing, a splash of sun bright on the grey mesh backdrop.
White heads of daisies peeking out of unmown grass; lilies slowly uncurling their bodies on the path to stately magnificence.
Sunset red bounces off pale orange buildings to reflect back into a truly tangerine sky kaleidoscoped with yellow and pink.
Under lockdown we are watching nature’s backdrop more closely. A bounty of multicoloured promise, rainbows reminding us of our planet’s beauty, present all around us but oft ignored in our previously hectic, un-noticing lives. Will this time help to bring it to the forefront?
Plan A has clearly been damaging our natural world. There is no Planet B. What better moment than to activate Plan C? Full steam ahead for the circular economy.
Rome, Earth Day 22.04.20
Happy 2,773rd birthday!
Rome, the Eternal City, celebrates its birthday today, 21 April 2020. This date is based on the legend that Romulus founded the city in 753 BC., though not together with his twin brother Remus, whom he murdered in an argument about where to place the site. Romulus named the city after himself and so Rome was born.
The “Eternal City “nickname goes back a long way too. Roman poet Albius Tibullus is thought to have penned the first explicit reference to the moniker (aeternae Urbis) in the 1st century B.C. and it was used by other ancient writers such as Ovid and Livy. The name reflected the greatness of Rome and the fact that whatever happened in the rest of the world, the city would live on.
A city of this age has seen it all. Over almost three thousand years, Rome has survived to tell the tale of natural disasters, wars and yes, many pandemics. Here are just a few examples.
The Antonine Plague in the 2nd century (165-180 AD). Some claimed it was of supernatural origins, linked to a soldier opening a golden casket in the Temple of Apollo, out of which the plague emerged (sound familiar? Think laboratory in Wuhan..?) An estimated 5 million people died, including stoic philosopher Emperor Marcus Aurelius, whose Equestrian Statue stands in the centre of the Capitoline Hill to this very day.
There was the 3rd century Plague of Cyprian (250 AD), which possibly started in Ethiopia before passing through Northern Africa into Rome, where it was spread even further as city dwellers fled to the country to escape infection (ring a bell?).
In the 6th century came the Plague of Justinian (541-542 AD), believed to be the fourth most deadly pandemic of all time, causing between 30 and 50 million deaths.
11th century Rome was affected by a pandemic of leprosy, which had spread along trade routes in Europe (today’s equivalent of international travel).
Then in 1347 came the deadliest pandemic of all time, the Black Death, or Bubonic Plague. In the four years it ravaged the planet, it is held to have killed 200 million people – one third of the world’s population back then. And it resurged several times, for example in the 1656 outbreak that killed more than 10 thousand people in Rome alone.
After a series of so-called “great plagues” in the 17th and 18th centuries, the next major epidemic was the first Cholera outbreak in 1817. Even though we now have an effective vaccine against cholera, in 2017 there were an estimated 1.3 to 4 million cases worldwide, and up to 143 thousand deaths.
Of the epidemics recorded in the 20th century, the Spanish Flu (1918-1919) was the world’s third most lethal, causing between 40-50 million deaths around the globe.
In the last fifty years or so the world has seen the emergence of other epidemics, from HIV/AIDS to SARS, MERS and Ebola. Which brings us to the year 2020, Rome’s 2,773rd birthday and Sars-Cov-2.
Though emptied of its tourists and locals right now, the city is still standing to celebrate the Natale di Roma. There will be none of the usual festivities with parades of people wearing ancient Roman costumes, gladiator fights and historical re-enactments. Instead, the city must contemplate its survival in silent splendour. And this gives all of us an opportunity to admire its ancient beauty and learn the lesson of its resilience. Until next year, tanti auguri Roma!
Rome, 21.04.20
11 unexpected consequences
The coronavirus pandemic is having major impacts on our whole world and society, some of which are very obvious, while others are more hidden or so unexpected that we haven’t really noticed them yet. Here are eleven examples.
1. Children are missing… One thing kids in Italy are saying they miss the most is school and their teachers – who would have thought it. Does this mean truancy may even fall once children are able to get back to their classrooms?
2. Revival of TV lessons. From 1959 to 1968, primary school teacher Alberto Manzi presented a highly successful TV programme on RAI teaching illiterate Italians how to read and write. Since then, the educative role of television has been increasingly sidelined. Now, as many children on the wrong side of the digital divide cannot access online lessons, Italy’s public broadcaster has started filling the gap, with lessons for all age groups beamed daily to all Italian households.
3. Small is beautiful. Small corner shops in Italy have seen customer numbers shoot up as people try to avoid the long queues outside large supermarkets or because they want to support their local stores. Are we community building again?
4. New Frenemies. In ads against fake news, commercial TV company Mediaset is now championing previous “enemies” - public broadcaster RAI and newspaper rivals - as trusted sources of information.
5. The resurgence of the bidet. Toilet paper shortages have led people to find other solutions and now bidet sales have skyrocketed, especially in countries like America, which has previously shown distain for this humble yet vital bathroom accessory.
6. Everybody needs good neighbours. Until we were stuck at home, many of us didn’t even know our neighbours. The downside is that some neighbours have taken to grassing up the people next door for going out too often.
7. A great return. Since we are now only going to buy food once a week, the idea of forward planning meals has come back into vogue. And we’re returning to using leftovers and reducing our food waste too.
8. New fashion for men? Not only may we be seeing the end of the Hipster beard, which reduces the effectiveness of masks, there is evidence of a new trend emerging. That of replacing pocket handkerchiefs with a mask jauntily peeking out of top pockets.
9. Statistics matter. After years of being overlooked and undervalued, we are now realising the vital importance of collecting and publishing accurate statistics that are clearly communicated.
10. No more #MeToo? The risk of unwanted advances will necessarily now go down since we have to respect social distancing, a coronavirus side-effect that could create safer workplaces for women.
11. And now, the weather. Our weather forecasts risk being less accurate as the significant decrease in air traffic means there are now big holes in the data used to predict weather and monitor the climate. But since we’re all at home, there’s no need to keep that brolly handy, just in case
Rome, 19.04.20
The hardest word
Saying sorry is never easy. It means you have to admit to mistakes you’ve made. To be humble, show empathy, reveal vulnerability, acknowledge incompetence, swallow your pride, feel guilt, take responsibility for your error.
Psychologists point out that people who refuse to apologise may be confusing their actions with their identity. We’ve all heard the parenting advice to blame the action not the child, “The thing you did was naughty” not “You are naughty”. It’s the same with saying sorry. Just because you admit you did something wrong thing doesn’t mean you yourself are wrong.
In recent weeks we have seen some political leaders around the world declaring mea culpa for past and present mistakes. For example, some have admitted for the very first time that they failed to give people the help they needed after the 2008 financial crisis.
We have also seen other politicians who have had to have apologies literally dragged from them, and their mealy-mouthed replies have been anything but a genuine expression of regret. These kinds of fake sorrys are a pure waste of breath and can cause more resentment and anger than the initial error. The same goes for apologies that are followed by a “but…”
As crisis communications teach us, the timing of an apology is also important. Don’t try to wriggle out of your mistake, obfuscate or lie and then apologise later, once you’ve been found out. The best thing to do is come clean immediately, say sorry and then you can move on.
Though in some cases, we have to be satisfied with a sorry that is better late than never. There are many noteworthy examples from history: F.W. de Klerk’s apology for the oppressive apartheid regime two years after Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s President, the pardon of Alan Turing fifty years after his death, or Pope John Paull II’s apology issued to Galileo 359 years after the scientist was persecuted by the Catholic Church for daring to claim the earth revolved around the sun.
Saying sorry can be incredibly therapeutic and empowering for both parties – the apologiser and the person wronged. But while a sorry can be a positive thing in its own right, if nothing is done to avoid the same action in the future, the apology can end up merely paying lip service, not a real intention to make amends. And that is why today’s act of contrition towards Italy from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von de Leyen, is significant.
On behalf of the whole of Europe, she issued a “heartfelt apology” that many were not there on time for Italy when it needed a helping hand at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. She also then added “saying sorry for something only counts if it changes behaviour”.
A genuine apology with a pledge to fix the problem can trigger forgiveness and start the healing process. It can bring people closer together emotionally and help (re)build trust. Let’s hope that’s true in this case.
Rome, 16.04.20
Not so hot
Over the last few decades, the workplace has evolved almost beyond recognition. Gone are individual offices, replaced by cubicles, open co-working spaces, and the occasional meeting room. Gone are individual workstations, replaced with hot desking – supposedly to increase collaboration, social interaction and to keep our imaginations fertile. Gone are openable windows, replaced by ventilation systems.
Similar practices have been adopted in the design of other buildings too, such as hotels, where it is now rare to find a room with a window you can open to get some fresh air. Even our homes have morphed, for example built with lower ceilings and the now ubiquitous, constantly running air-con units to keep us artificially hot or cool.
These changes have been driven by a series of factors, including the sheer density of modern city living, money-making considerations and also a desire to be more open and inclusive or even environmental concerns like reducing the amount of fuel needed to heat or cool our living spaces.
But looking at these designs through the prism of the coronavirus, it becomes clear that we need to have a major rethink on how we organise our working and living conditions.
Hermetically sealed offices with co-workers crammed in side-by-side in an open space with the same air circulating day- in-day-out are potentially lethal. The very idea of hot-desking, where people sit at a different desk every day, using a phone and a computer that someone was handling the day before sends a shiver up your spine. Never mind the potential virus traps of doorknobs, lift buttons, shared photocopiers and so on.
The concept of Sick Building Syndrome was first identified in the 1970s though it is still controversial to this day. A World Health Organization report on the problem from 1988 clearly states “buildings can contribute to the airborne spread of virai disease, either through overcrowding or by the spread of airborne viruses through the ventilation system”.
More than 30 years later, with Covid-19 set to rampage through our world for many months to come, your workplace could now give you much more than a headache, cough and dry eyes...
And the problem doesn’t stop there. Think of modern restaurants with open kitchens so you can see the chefs at work. The narrower isles in supermarkets. Smaller cinema seats. Beach operators with rows and rows of deckchairs and umbrellas packed together like sardines.
Previous pandemics led to major changes in the way our built environment was constructed and clearly the Covid-19 outbreak will be no different. Architects and designers are already collaborating on this, examining the potential of cognitive buildings and responsive environments. Never before has their work been more important and urgent to ensure we can continue to live, work and socialise together in safety.
Rome, 15.04.20
Four-legged friends
When lockdown started and everyone realised they needed a good reason to leave the house, people who had dogs were greatly envied. There were memes about dogs charging exorbitant prices for a walk around the block, neighbours haggling over access to these precious animals as an excuse to get some fresh air.
Looking out of the windows you could see some of our four-legged friends sloping along exhausted as they were taken for their umpteenth outing that day. Some resourceful people even resorted to making fake dogs, which they hoped looked real enough from the windows of passing police cars. Though they didn’t need to clean the paws of these pretend animals once they got home, they could just throw them into the corner until the next time they felt the urge to leave the house.
Having said that, many real dogs and cats have actually been abandoned by owners scared by fake news claiming their beloved pets could pass on the virus. Some have been “let go” because families can no longer afford to feed them. And so these animals left to run wild in the streets, newly created strays forming packs hunting for the food - and affection - they once enjoyed in a cosy, loving home.
Authorities have been making constant appeals not to abandon domestic animals, asking people to at least contact kennels and associations to take in now unwanted pets. The Association of Vets in Rome even launched a campaign stressing “We’re not contagious” with an accompanying picture of a cute, sad looking puppy to melt even the hardest of hearts.
These calls seem to be having some effect, though volunteers caring for an increasing number of dogs are now under immense pressure. Donations for animal charities have collapsed, kennels are filled to bursting and there are fewer people to look after the dogs taken into care. Sterilisations have also been stopped, meaning the problem may get worse over the coming months.
And there is one other heart-breaking reason for the increase in the number of dogs and cats now without homes. Their owners have died from Covid-19 and now there is no one to look after their best friends left on their own.
Amidst this sadness, there is one bit of good news for our faithful friends on the other side of the planet. The coronavirus has won out where decades of pressure from animal rights groups failed. It is overturning the Chinese culture for eating cats and dogs. The practice is about to be banned in many of China’s major cities as these animals are “reclassified” as companion animals, rather than falling under the category of “livestock”.
A small bright spot for our favourite felines and dogs, described by Byron as those possess “all the virtues of man without his vices”.
Rome, 13.04.20
There’s a kind of hush
While we admire the silent world from our homes, struck by the amplification of nature’s noises in the air that had been drowned out by our human kerfuffle, there are those whose ears have also pricked up, though to listen to something completely different.
Noises from below our feet, the sounds of our planet, creaking, crackling, moving, flowing. Many of these sounds travel on the same wavelength as those made by us humans and so are drowned out and cannot be heard very often.
In fact, it appears that the sound of the earth going about her daily business is usually only perceptible in Europe on Christmas day, when the traffic subsides and our bustle and noise fades away. For geologists and seismologists, now every day is Christmas day.
This gives them the chance to tune into the planet’s smallest vibrations, made even more evident because the world is now temporarily freed from the effects of our manmade shaking, caused by cars, lorries, buses, trains, planes, mechanical equipment and building work.
An example: according to the Royal Observatory of Belgium, vibrations caused by human activity dropped by roughly a third in Belgium after coronavirus lockdown measures were introduced. And of course, all these vibrations don’t just make a noise, they cause the earth to move more too.
As a result, our planet is now calmer, quieter, more serene, reverberating less and thus, we are able to hear her heartbeat more clearly.
This unique silence has provided a valuable opportunity for scientists to do research on a surface level that would normally only be possible with equipment buried deep inside the earth.
But does this kind of hush have something more to tell us beyond an analysis of frequencies and oscillations? Is it sending a message to us humans about the affects we are having on our common home? And if so, are we ready and willing to listen – and to act?
After all, if you think about it, planet earth is where all of us live permanently in “lockdown”, there is no going outside.
Rome, 09.04.20
A matter of faith
April 2020 happens to mark significant festivals for the three monotheistic religions. It doesn’t always happen that Passover, Easter and Ramadan fall in the same month.
And this year, these three religions are all united in a similar suffering – the inability to spend these important occasions with their relatives and friends.
Religious leaders have been making every effort to help their congregations cope with this separation, so much more painful at these times than any other.
Many people are obviously turning to technology to fill the yawning gap. Though for some this is not possible due to religious restrictions.
And so, it comes down to a matter of faith, of finding a way through and of looking to the future, to next year, when we pray we will be able to celebrate together with the ones we love.
Rome, 08.04.20
Seesaws
Let’s admit it, there are good days and then there are bad days.
There are days where you find focus, learn something new, are uplifted by a phone call with an old, almost forgotten friend. Days when a morning message makes you smile and reminds you of the love radiating far beyond the homes where people are locked in.
Blue sky days where you notice the new leaves unfurling on the trees, the blossom adding colour to the empty streets, butterflies wafting on the sun kissed breeze. Days embellished with photos of spring flowers, virtual hugs, live music and moments of togetherness.
And yes, there are also days on the other end of the seesaw. Dark days, beset by frustration, sadness, anguish, helplessness. There are days when we chastise ourselves for doing nothing, for wasting this time, for being unable to crack a smile or find a glimmer of hope. Days riddled with guilt for our lack of productivity or creativity, when we are so overwhelmed, we can barely get out of bed in the morning to face the long hours ahead. Days wracked with fear, panic and tears.
But these days have a rightful place in our human emotions. There’s no shame in feeling anxious or down, it’s totally normal to feel distressed during a crisis. We are all living through a traumatic event. It’s perfectly OK and completely natural to feel low, also to balance out those times on the upside of the seesaw. We can’t have one without the other.
What helps is to remember to be gentle on ourselves, treat ourselves with the same love and kindness we offer our relatives and friends. Take the time to allow these negative emotions to move through us rather than bottling them up, supressing them.
The situation is what it is, what matters is how we react to it. How we let it affect us. And the wonderful thing is that even if we cannot find a way out of the darkness ourselves, there are plenty of resources out there to help us: information on websites, free sessions with psychologists, podcasts and videos on mental health.
The trick is to try not to succumb to the pressure from the downside of the seesaw, remembering that we can recognise a bad day precisely because we have had good ones – and will continue to enjoy them, if not today, then hopefully tomorrow.
Rome, 07.04.20
What’s in a word?
You can't build up a vocabulary if you never meet any new words. Or as Evelyn Waugh purportedly said, “One's vocabulary needs constant fertilising or it will die”.
Well in these times, our vocabulary is being fed - if not overfed - and is expanding exponentially as a result.
Even though we’re only in April, there is little doubt what the Oxford Word of the Year is going to be in 2020. Though it actually could be a toss up between Covid-19 and SARS-CoV-2.
Coronavirus will not make the grade as it is not a new word - we were using it during the original SARS outbreak in 2003 and the MERS epidemic in 2012.
The word of the year in 2019 was “climate emergency”, something that has certainly not gone away, just relegated to second place - if not lower - in the midst of our current virus emergency.
Apart from these new words, our vocabulary is being expanded with jargon and acronyms usually only heard in the medical profession, for example PPE, ICUs, triage, ventilators or thermometer guns.
We now know what an epidemiologist does. We are aware of the potential dangers posed by sub-clinical people (who carry the virus but have no symptoms) and super-spreaders. We realise the importance of finding patient zero. We’re debating the pros and cons of herd immunity. We-‘ve understood the need to protect those with underlying health conditions.
But other, even more common vocabulary has also been adapted and scaled up for these times. So, we have lockdown, self-isolation, social distancing and containment measures. Testing is being rolled out or ramped up. Key workers – or essential workers – are on the frontlines, in the epicentre. We are smart working while waiting for the peak to plateau or to pass, before we have a phased approach to returning to life “as normal”.
On the other hand, other almost forgotten words are unexpectedly coming back into fashion. Significant words like solidarity, kindness, neighbourliness. Then there is self-discipline, sacrifice, appreciation and resilience. Or cohesion and community.
And in these cases, let’s hope that actions do actually speak louder than words.
Rome, 05.04.20
When you’re smiling
Scientific research tells us it’s an antidote to sadness. It can boost your mood in an instant. It can share joy with complete strangers. It can diffuse a tense situation. It benefits both the giver and the receiver. It makes people more disposed towards you. It encourages positive interactions. It can help deal with negative emotions. It can make you look younger. It can literally open doors, hearts and minds.
Best of all, a smile is completely, utterly and totally free. No cost to anyone. Oh yes, and smiling is contagious too, as in “when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you”.
A smile is defined as “a happy or friendly expression on the face in which the ends of the mouth curve up slightly, often with the lips moving apart so that the teeth can be seen”.
While there are actually many different kinds of smile, there are two main categories: a forced smile and a genuine smile, which in scientific circles is called a Duchenne smile, after French neurologist Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne.
Fake ones are usually easy to spot, especially now we’ve been exposed to so many of them in selfies. And there are also those usually accompanied by some equally false expression like “have a nice day”.
One of the cruellest things of our current situation is that we have been robbed of sharing our smiles. You can’t see them under people’s masks. This small act spreading joy and happiness has been taken from us.
But some people are trying to find ways to bring back their smiles, even when their faces are covered. Like the nurse in a children’s hospital who physically draws a smile on her disposable mask to appear more friendly and less frightening to the kids under her care.
Or you can replicate the action of a smile with your hands, air drawing your lips curving upwards. That works even when you’re wearing gloves and a visor.
Another way to light up your face with gladness is to really smile with your eyes, something that is difficult to fake.
And because crow’s feet are also smile lines, if we see them crinkling upwards, we can intuit the person is smiling, even if we can’t see their mouth. Who would have thought those once dreaded wrinkles could suddenly come in so useful?
Rome, 02.04.20
Told you so…
In business and public administration of late, great emphasis has been placed on evaluating performance, measuring results against set goals and learning lessons, especially what went wrong so as not to repeat mistakes.
It is fair to say that in the past three months we have seen successive governments around the world clearly fail to apply this practice. The most common approach appears to have been “softly softly, catchee virus”, leading to a total lack of preparation.
This, in spite of the fact that governments have held rehearsals in pandemic management to be ready for this kind of situation. And even when we had time to see what was happening in China and prepare action here. Some of the most clamorous examples are in areas such as:
- The kinds of personal protection equipment needed, the amount necessary and a clear definition of key workers who must have it.
- The organisation of adequate supplies of ventilators, test kits and enough intensive care beds.
- The preparation of hospitals and temporary healthcare structures ready in time to receive the tsunami of patients on its way.
- The recruitment of sufficient doctors, nurses and medical staff.
- The introduction of proper testing programmes.
- The lack of a unified approach to reporting the figures.
- The ignoring of advice from scientists and frontline health workers.
- The gap between announcing measures and introducing them, creating a fatal time window allowing people to “escape” elsewhere - and take the virus with them.
- The phased approach to lockdown, with too few restrictions applied too late, allowing people to gather in parks, on beaches, in beauty spots, or at weddings, parties and funerals, spreading the contamination further and farther.
- The definition of essential services – no to children’s notebooks but yes to the production of weapons.
- The measures to avoid panic buying and fight fake news before it takes hold.
- The continual updating of authorisation forms – not everyone has a printer at home!
- The delays to providing appropriate economic help – also for “forgotten” categories like the self-employed or freelancers.
- The vague, confusing and inadequate communication and need for actions, not slogans.
But it’s not too late to learn from these epic failures. We don’t have to say “told you so” a second time. We can apply this understanding now, when planning and preparing our “exit strategies” for the post-lockdown period that will inevitably come.
Can we get ideas from China? Can we coordinate this together? Can we apply a consistent approach and make the communication clearer? Now is the time to answer these (and other) questions, otherwise we may all be back to square one and in lockdown again shortly after our release back “into the wild”.
Rome, 31.03.20
Living the Time Warp
Happy Monday! Or is it Sunday? Checks diary – no it’s Wednesday. Happy Wednesday!
We are living in a time warp, stuck in a Salvador Dalí painting of melting watches. Time elongating, morphing, distorting before our very eyes.
People who have been under lockdown for weeks are losing track of the days. The fault is empty calendars, no weekends, days that stretch endlessly in front of us for a time yet to be determined.
Perhaps the incessant calls to and from friends are also to blame. After all, we used to save these for after work or the weekend, when we had more time for socialising, chatting and catching up.
Even the hours of the day have changed, time standing still or painfully creeping along at one moment, then racing ahead at another. And that’s even before the clocks go forward this weekend…
To counteract the feeling of befuddlement all this causes, some have resorted to crossing off the days on the calendar to keep track. Others are anchored by daily religious prayers that mark the passing of time. A few still have work that gives structure to their week.
But many just go with the flow, not worrying about what day it is anymore, embracing the time warp into which we have all been thrown. From which perspective, the hit song from the Rocky Horror Picture Show seems remarkably prescient…
“With a bit of a mind flip
You're into the time slip
And nothing can ever be the same
You're spaced out of sensation
Like you're under sedation”
So, all together now… “Let’s do the time warp again”!
Rome, 25.03.20
New canons of beauty?
Italians are known for their impeccable grooming; decked out in the latest fashion, full make up on and hair immaculate even for a trip to the supermarket. And they’ve always been helped by armies of hairdressers, beauticians, manicurists, barbers and beauty salons to keep their look just perfect, often with a tuck and lift here and a squirt of Botox there.
Now, there is no one to help prop up this visual image as before. The last resort is DIY waxing, plucking, hair dying and hair drying. Though in fact, many Italians are actually experimenting with another alternative.
Going natural. Ditching the make up, letting their hair grow longer and making (temporary?) peace with the grey strands and badger roots. Forgetting the nail polish. Switching contact lenses for glasses. Forgoing the perfume – though not the deodorant…
After all, if the only way you’re going to be seen by anyone is via a video link, all the old grooming efforts become superfluous.
OK yes, you may venture out once in a while to get in some groceries or dump the rubbish. But if your face is covered with a mask and glasses and your hands sheathed in gloves, no one can see your lack of make up or chipped nail vanish anyway. So why bother?
We’ve also learnt that it’s not so vital to be up with the very latest fashion or to have designer togs. Who cares about hem lengths, puffed sleeves, clashing colours or big prints when all you want is for you and your family to be safe and well?
At this time of year, Italians usually start obsessing about preparing themselves for the summer. Getting “beach body ready”.
But we’re all staying indoors so will emerge as pale as snow whenever this is all over. And given the little exercise we’re all having, 2020 may see more than one new canon of beauty emerging... #nomakeuplife and #bigisbeautiful.
Rome, 23.03.20
7.7 billion weapons of mass destruction
There is a lot of discussion about how to persuade people to distance themselves from others. How to convince youngsters that they are not invincible. How to enforce responsible behaviour. How to cajole old people into protecting themselves.
Experts have been trying to turn around our thinking, change our perspective, asking people to imagine they have the virus and are staying at home to protect others from catching this.
That’s quite a hard message to get across. But if you strip it down to the basics, this is a war and every single one of us is a potential weapon of mass destruction. A real one. One that can pass on the virus that kills others if not ourselves.
If we view it in this light, then perhaps that will change the mindsets of those who are stubbornly championing their “civil liberties”. At the moment, the idea of “civil liberty” translates into the freedom to kill others. One person’s liberty against the safety of society as a whole.
Those exploiting their financial resources to escape to the countryside to “sit out the plague there” are putting more burdens on already stretched resources in rural communities. Whether it be food supplies or hospital care. How can you be so selfish and not see the innate “destruction” you are carrying with you?
So, my advice is to consider yourself as a potential weapon of mass destruction and keep far away from other people until the epidemic subsides.
Rome, 22.03.20
Physical isolation, virtual socialising
In the end the choice was an easy one, though probably no one had imagined they would ever have to make it.
As we are becoming accustomed to a lack of physical contact with our families, friends and colleagues, at the same time we are plunging into a veritable whirl of virtual social activities.
Our inboxes are bulging with emails, our devices buzzing with messages and calls, pinging incessantly with WhatsApps, Skype and Facetime hookups.
Children and students are following their lessons online. Friends are organising virtual parties or dinner dates. Experts are contributing to news programmes via video links from their homes.
Online gamers are finding company in their online communities. Musicians are holding live concerts and actors are performing readings. Chefs are giving cooking demonstrations. People are streaming their lonely twosome weddings to relatives stuck in other parts of the world.
But this explosion in internet use for things we used to do in the real world has very quickly led to a big problem. Bandwidth.
This exponentially expanding online socialising is forcing on-demand platforms to make a choice – enable a free flow for all this traffic or provide the high definition content we have come to expect? We’ve discovered we can’t have both.
And so, YouTube and Netflix have lowered the quality of their streaming videos in Europe - and will probably soon do so elsewhere in the world too - forgoing high quality pictures for high volume socialising. Interaction wins over high definition passive watching.
We can expect to see more companies to follow their lead as the whole human race goes online to communicate. For many years people have been calling for access to the internet to be recognised as a basic human right. Perhaps now we realise why.
Rome, 21.03.20
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A chink in the paywall
At the end of this all, we may well have consumed more culture than when we were free to go to cinemas, theatres and concerts. As our real life has restricted, our online possibilities have expanded.
Increasing numbers of companies have opened up a chink in their paywalls, from the Washington Post to Canal+. Even Pornhub is allowing Italians under lockdown to access to “premium” content previously unavailable to those who didn’t sign up and pay.
Others, for example the BBC, appear to have removed their geo-blocking, so people from outside the country can at least access some of their news output, while RAI in Italy has currently waived registration for its digital on-demand service.
Many institutions, companies and even film festivals have released materials from their digital archives to allow us to watch films (e.g. Minerva Pictures, Göteborg Film Festival) and documentaries (the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam) and to listen to concerts (Berliner Philharmonika).
And museums around the world are racing to publish virtual tours so we can marvel at their treasures, even from afar. For example, the world class museums available to visit from the comfort of your armchair via Google Arts and Culture - from the Uffizi in Florence to MoMA in New York, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and the National Gallery in London. No, it is not the same as watching a film in the company of others in a darkened cinema.
No, it is not the same as the experience of musicians and actors performing right in front of you.
No, it is not the same as having an expert tour guide explaining works of art right in front of you.
But it certainly something to be welcomed in these times of need. The question is, what will happen once the emergency is over? Will the chink in the paywalls be cemented shut? Or are we seeing a glimpse of a potential new approach to satisfy the new culture vultures of tomorrow?
Rome, 19.03.20
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Thanks to the unsung heroes
It is right that our first thoughts and thanks go to all of those toiling so hard in our health services at the moment. From the surgeons, nurses and GPs, to the ambulance drivers, helicopter pilots, porters, assistants, cleaning staff, researchers, auxiliary staff, civil protection authorities and volunteers, to name but a few categories. And let’s not forget those who are continuing to provide medical care for patients with non-Coronovirus related illness. They are doing an incredible job under extreme circumstances, literally laying down their lives for others.
But it is also worth remembering all those other people working in areas that are perhaps less visible, but which are nonetheless vital for our society to continue in so many different ways. Here are just some of those unsung heroes you may not have considered:
In (non-health) essential services: Spare a thought for police/prison officers, firemen/women, military personnel, blood bank operators, rubbish collectors, bus/tram/metro/train/taxi drivers, vets, airline pilots, hostesses, cleaners, petrol station attendants, post office/bank clerks, babysitters, home carers, delivery drivers/riders and call centre staff passing on vital information and advice. And in this area, let’s not forget the funeral directors, cemetery workers, gravediggers and crematorium operators.
In television/radio/papers: Your news and information is made possible thanks to presenters, journalists (in newsrooms and on the streets), camera and soundmen/women (in studios, and on the streets), photographers, sign language interpreters. editors, graphic designers, directors, producers, live/outside broadcast technicians, transmission staff, print workers, researchers, copy editors, writers, the weather people, make-up artists, hair stylists and schedulers.
In commerce: While most shops are shut, remember those who are keeping the food shops, chemists and newsagents open. From the cashiers to the shelf stockers, lorry drivers and warehouse staff to store managers, security guards and the cleaners. Not forgetting the farmers, manufacturers and food processors producing the food to buy in the shops. And those keeping the factories open, even converting their businesses to produce priority items like ventilators.
In public life: Yes, appreciation is also due to politicians at all levels, civil servants, government officials, mayors, councillors, press officers and embassy workers who are continuing to provide help and advice for people on the ground. Let’s also not forget the consumer watchdog bodies and those making the now incessant TV and radio public service announcements with essential information to protect ourselves and our community.
Volunteers in every sphere: A huge, special thanks is also due to all those volunteering to help the old, the vulnerable and the homeless - after all they don’t have a home to stay inside….
Many other categories could be included in this list, their omission is not a sign of ingratitude, quite the reverse. The idea is to make us all stop and think, and to thank everyone who is helping keep this nation afloat.
And in many ways, that also includes all of us who are staying at home. Each and every one of us makes a difference.
Rome, 16.03.20
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Sixteen reasons to be cheerful
Hope is another chapter in this Italian Coronavirus story. And there are plenty of positive things to consider .... For example:
1. Our economies will have to be rebuilt from scratch and so this a great opportunity to make a speedier transition to the green economy, with huge benefit for the whole world. Recalibrating our outlooks and needs, production and distribution to a more local, less global focus. Not to mention the immediate slow down in emissions, which benefits the planet.
2. People are discovering the joys of a slower life, the importance of a real social life of direct personal contacts and talking to people, instead of a virtual life on social media.
3. People are having to learn new skills - teachers first and foremost who are having to discover how to prepare and deliver long distance lessons, but also many people who have never worked from home before... And their employers who are using to learn to trust their workers.
4. In terms of consumption, our needs have been stripped back to the basics, food and medicines, re-dimensioning our view of a consumerist society.
5. People are starting to appreciate and value their older relatives more.
6. We are being forced to harness our inventiveness and creativity finding ways to bring art and culture to the homes of people who can't go out to visit museums, see concerts etc.
7. Similarly, we're discovering how to create moments of 'togetherness' even though we are separated, for example the flash mob to sing together, rebuilding a sense of community.
8. At a moment when time stretches ahead of you unpunctuated by work and social appointments where your diary is empty for weeks on end, it is actually wonderful to have a flash mob appointment to 'be together'.
9. Kids are learning that there are others forms of entertainment, not just TV/video games and are having to invent new (i.e. old) ways of entertaining themselves.
10. Since people are being encouraged to not go food shopping unless really necessary, kids (and not only) are also learning that not everything is always available, sometimes they will have to do without, and that's not the end of the world...
11. Similarly, we’re perhaps starting to learn the art of parsimony, since in theory we’re having to make food last longer to avoid going out to the shops too often.
12. People have time to brush up on their cooking skills.
13. We are having the chance to get back closer to nature. We can now hear the birds so much louder without the noise of cars and life. We have time to watch the trees coming into flower, observe spring shoots starting to emerge, see birds busy building their nests, observing the clouds and feeling the wind and the sunshine on our faces, appreciating it fully perhaps for the first time for years.
14. While faith is being tested, perhaps even more so as all churches, synagogues and mosques etc are all shut, people are finding ways to be together virtually and continue traditions in other ways, also finding ways to continue sharing and giving solidarity to others.
15. Italy is seeing that solidarity pays – it sent materials to help China, and now China is sending materials and expert medical staff to Italy to help out.
16. We are starting to finally realise the importance of our health services.... I am confident many other good things are happening and will continue to do so, also things we can't see clearly right now. #iorestoacasa
Rome, 14.03.20
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Advice from the front line
The first and most important thing is do not underestimate the risks and prepare now. For those of you whose governments are not yet fully protecting you, here are some tips on how to protect yourself anyway….
Reduce all social engagements to NIL. Including gym, movies, dinners, football matches shopping centres, pubs, children’s parties, etc.
Limit contact with people to the absolute minimum and keep a distance of at least 1 metre between you and other people.
Wash your hands regularly, also when at home... and especially as soon as you come back home from being out (even in the garden/on the terrace etc) . Throw single use masks/gloves in a sealed bin/bag and thoroughly wash glasses (and masks/gloves if reusable).
Remember to sterilise doorknobs, taps, keys,, shopping bags, and clean your mobile phone once a day, certainly when you have been outside.
When going shopping try to go at less busy times, use gloves, wear masks (if you have them) and glasses. Choose packaged fruit and veg instead of loose (I know, the poor environment…)
Things you may not have thought of to buy: long life milk, cat/dog food and cat litter, bleach, dried/canned/frozen food especially veggies, hand cream, cling film (see point 13), washing up liquid, soap powder.
While everyone is trying to use electronic payments to avoid handling cash, do make sure you have some spare.
Fill up on petrol, not that you’ll be going anywhere but good to have it in case of need.
Stock on up prescription medicines – at least two weeks’ supply. While chemists will probably remain open, the less time you are out and about in queues with other people the better.
Figure out an exercise routine you can do from home.
Entertainment wise, board games, movies, books, watch live streaming concerts (of which here there are now many), musical instruments, craft projects (if you have supplies in), writing, keeping a diary, clearing out those cupboards and getting round to the sewing and chores you put off because of no time.
If you have your own open space, get fresh air and enjoy it. Do some gardening (we’ve planted some seeds), watch how nature continues even while our world seems to have stopped.
You can make your own masks by putting a light scarf over your nose and mouth and then put cling film over the scarf. When you get home discard the cling film in a dedicated closed bin and wash the scarf.
Don’t indulge in activities that could be dangerous or strain yourself to where you could have an accident, the last place you want to be right now is in accident and emergency. Don’t overdo things or think the rules don’t apply to you, or you’re not affected. We are all affected and irresponsible actions can cause tremendous worry for others.
Do keep in contact with friends as moral support really helps.
Don’t spend 24/7 watching the news – and remember this is coming from a news junky. While it is totally fascinating from a professional and anthropological point of view, continual exposure to grim stories does ramp up the fear and anxiety, which is not good.
We can go out for short walks and food shops and chemists are still open. We have to carry a document with us at all times – even when on foot - saying who we are, where we live, where we’re going and what we’re doing. No more than two people to a car, one driving and the other in the back seat behind the passenger seat. There are queues outside shops (each person one metre away from another) as they are only letting in a limited number of people at a time.
So, my advice to you all is to lock yourselves down sooner than later, to protect yourselves, to protect the rest of the community and to reduce extra pressure on the already collapsing health services. Stay strong, be prepared and focused but don’t panic!
Rome, 13.03.20